Important: Save Trek Profic Campaign

[EntAllat]

I promised some regrouping a while ago, I know, but the first two weeks of January turned out to be a little more full than I anticipated.

Anyway, it appears that our efforts over the last two months - yes, we've only been doing this for two months - have generated a response. We should be hella proud of that. Not surprisingly to me, it's via the social media aspect of this.

So where do we go from here? That Twitter response wasn't a lot of information, but it was something and vauge though it was, it was official. We should take that and run with it. My suggestion: offer them something useful and then keep pushing. For example, offer up the results of a poll/survey of Trek readers and potential Trek readers about what they'd like to see. Then ask for/demand it. Any other ideas?

Here's what I think some "lessons learned" so far are: (and this isn't comprehensive, just what I can think of right now)
1) Other Trek forums aren't generating much of a positive response, but a tiny handful of people via PM, etc. have promised to send letters.
I'm thinking that this probably isn't the best use of other forums for this campaign. Posting about voting in a set of polls or filling out a survey of information might get more involvement and be a better use of our energy and get us more usable information.
2) There are some very specific reasons beyond the curmudgeonly "the books sucked" as to why the books have fallen out of favor with the majority of Trek fandom. I.e. too many multi-book era-spanning sagas, etc. We should make a definitive list of those mistakes.
3) There are some very specific things that Trek fans who have read the books (regardless of whether or not they still do) want to see in future books, or would make them return to buying and reading the books. Again, we should make definitive list of these.
4) Enterprise fans are by far and away the most active and interested in this campaign.

Any volunteers to compile those lists?

BTW, folks. I'd say don't feel bad when you start to get "the books sucked" via other venues, especially twitter. The trolls only come out to rain on a parade when there IS a parade. I.e., if we're attracting the naysayers-for-naysaying-sake it's a sign we're doing something right. Use 'em. If you can keep the conversation on your end level-headed and public, there'll be a few others who'll be be informed and intrigued, and maybe even swayed. You'll also get useful information if other agree with the troll, but in good faith.

[Glory1863]

I can go through the 20+ pages on this site (and any other threads we might have) looking for things to list. If it's not here, though, I won't know about it since my 2 Yahoo sites showed zero interest and I don't belong anywhere else, don't Twitter, etc. I don't get off work until 9 p.m. CST tonight, so don't get antsy.

It occurs to me, though, that some of what's wanted/not wanted really isn't in the publisher's control as much as it is in the franchise owner's control. For example, they're the ones who persist in killing off beloved characters, blowing up planets and committing genocide (somehow) on the Andorians. Just sayin'.

[EntAllat]

I can go through the 20+ pages on this site (and any other threads we might have) looking for things to list. If it's not here, though, I won't know about it since my 2 Yahoo sites showed zero interest and I don't belong anywhere else, don't Twitter, etc. I don't get off work until 9 p.m. CST tonight, so don't get antsy.

No rush.

It occurs to me, though, that some of what's wanted/not wanted really isn't in the publisher's control as much as it is in the franchise owner's control. For example, they're the ones who persist in killing off beloved characters, blowing up planets and committing genocide (somehow) on the Andorians. Just sayin'.

That sounds more gripes (valid, to be sure) with the plot lines and directions of the episodes and movies. I'm thinking more in terms of what we heard specifically about the books: too many all at once, hard to keep up with them, too many three-four-part books, not enough episodic books, dwindling number of authors, too much focus on spin offs published lines, etc.

[Reanok]

When it comes to the book discussions at the treklit board the last few weeks here's some of the things I remember fans saying they wanted a larger variety authors to write the Startrek novels instead of just a select few writing the same type of TNG era books every yera. Some of the TOS writers have complained about this too very recently in fact they haven't had a chance untiil now to get their books published because of the new trek movie..I certainly glad there will be another Enterprise novel. And I would write or e-mail Cbs in support of the Startrek Enterprise books and like to see a change in they deal with the other Startrek series of books..

[Aquarius]

It occurs to me, though, that some of what's wanted/not wanted really isn't in the publisher's control as much as it is in the franchise owner's control. For example, they're the ones who persist in killing off beloved characters, blowing up planets and committing genocide (somehow) on the Andorians. Just sayin'.

That sounds more gripes (valid, to be sure) with the plot lines and directions of the episodes and movies. I'm thinking more in terms of what we heard specifically about the books: too many all at once, hard to keep up with them, too many three-four-part books, not enough episodic books, dwindling number of authors, too much focus on spin offs published lines, etc.

At this, I'd like to reiterate my suggestion that we include CBS as a target of our campaign, and not just the publisher. If the books sell and make money, then CBS stands to make money.

Just sayin'.

[EntAllat]

At this, I'd like to reiterate my suggestion that we include CBS as a target of our campaign, and not just the publisher. If the books sell and make money, then CBS stands to make money.

Agreed.

[Reanok]

I'd be willing to write Letters or e-mails to CBS in support of more Startrek Enterrpise or TOS and ds9 standalone books that have nothing to do with the Typhon pact books .

[Glory1863]

I can go through the 20+ pages on this site (and any other threads we might have) looking for things to list. If it's not here, though, I won't know about it since my 2 Yahoo sites showed zero interest and I don't belong anywhere else, don't Twitter, etc. I don't get off work until 9 p.m. CST tonight, so don't get antsy.

Update: I've looked through this thread and any threads that were linked to it. I don't know what was said at House of Tucker or Triaxian Silk because access requires membership which I don't have. I still want to review the thread(s) here about the Enterprise relaunch books for any useful information.

Quite honestly, most of the concrete like/don't like comments seem to be coming from Reanok and me. Not sure how representative that is.

As I make note of points, I'm not sure what the utility of having a "don't like" list and a "do like" list is because they seem to be 2 sides of the same coin, but perhaps I don't quite understand how you plan to use the data. I'll put the positive spin list up first.

This is one of my 12-hour work days, so hang in there. It will be awhile yet.

[paulinem]

At this, I'd like to reiterate my suggestion that we include CBS as a target of our campaign, and not just the publisher. If the books sell and make money, then CBS stands to make money.

Agreed.

Seconded! I was almost going to include CBS in my tweets, but hesitated at the last minute!

[tish]

At this, I'd like to reiterate my suggestion that we include CBS as a target of our campaign, and not just the publisher. If the books sell and make money, then CBS stands to make money.

Agreed.

Seconded! I was almost going to include CBS in my tweets, but hesitated at the last minute!

I'm up for this as well!